FSIS Launches Pilot Program to Expand Listeria Verification Sampling in Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Establishments

FSIS Expands Environmental Sampling Activities Through New Pilot Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced a pilot program designed to strengthen oversight of ready-to-eat (RTE) post-lethality exposed meat and poultry establishments.

The pilot builds upon existing risk-based Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) verification programs by expanding environmental sampling activities conducted during routine inspection tasks.

What the Pilot Includes

Under current Routine Listeria monocytogenes (RLm) and Intensified Verification Testing (IVT) programs, FSIS collects:

• Food Contact Surface (FCS) samples
• Non-Food Contact Surface (NFCS) samples
• Product samples

As part of the pilot, FSIS inspection personnel will collect an additional:

• Two FCS swabs
• Two NFCS swabs

during routine product sampling activities in participating establishments.

Samples will be analyzed for both Listeria monocytogenes and non-Lm Listeria species using existing laboratory methods and reporting procedures.

Pilot Objectives

According to FSIS, the additional sampling is intended to:

• Verify the effectiveness of Listeria control programs in RTE establishments
• Identify sanitation concerns and potential environmental harborage sites earlier
• Strengthen public health protection efforts
• Evaluate inspector time and resource requirements associated with expanded sampling

The agency plans to use pilot results to determine whether broader implementation should be considered in the future.

Additional FSIS Resources

FSIS plans to provide inspector training in June 2026 focused on sampling procedures and aseptic collection techniques.

In addition, an Enforcement, Investigations and Analysis Officer (EIAO) will be assigned to each pilot circuit to support frontline inspection personnel. These officers may assist with sample collection, data review, and other in-plant activities.

Impact on Establishments

FSIS has indicated that participating establishments will not be required to hold additional product or extend product hold times beyond existing routine sampling requirements.

The agency expects sampling activities to begin in July 2026 and plans to discuss the pilot with affected establishments before implementation.

What This Means for Industry

While the pilot does not introduce new regulatory requirements, it reflects FSIS’s continued focus on environmental monitoring and Listeria control within ready-to-eat meat and poultry operations.

Establishments may wish to review:

• Environmental monitoring programs
• Sanitation controls and verification activities
• Corrective action procedures
• Listeria control strategies for post-lethality exposed products

EAS Perspective

The pilot underscores the importance of robust environmental monitoring and sanitation programs within ready-to-eat production environments. As FSIS gathers additional data on environmental conditions and potential harborage sites, establishments should continue evaluating the effectiveness of their Listeria control programs and verification activities.